comes
a tale of a magic crystal. Many years ago some Europeans embarked in a
boat manned by two Fijians to visit one of the smaller islands of the
group. After they had landed and gone off to explore the island, one of
the Fijians said to the other: "You look after the boat while I take a
look around." He had not gone far when he saw two strange men, one of
whom fled at his approach ; the other he seized, holding on to him
fast, although dragged along for a considerable distance until after
scrambling up a hill {he strange man finally loosed himself and
disappeared in the hollow! of a tree-trunk. For some time the Fijian
lay in a trance, but awakening from this he found his way back to the
boat. In the course of the afternoon the strange being appeared to him
suddenly and told him "to go back to the tree, where he would find a
small stone wrapped up in a piece of calico. ' ' This he duly sought
and found; it proved to be a crystal, like glass. In the night time the
man or spirit again appeared and strictly enjoined the Fijian not to
let anyone see his crystal but told him that if he wished for anything
he only had to look into the stone. The possession of this treasure
earned a wonderful repute for the Fijian as a medicine-man, as when any
sick person sought for help one look into the stone revealed the proper
remedy for the disease. All this time, however, no one had been allowed
to see his crystal, or to suspect the source of his wisdom. At last his
fame reached the ears of some European doctors, who called him in to
help them in their hospital work, and while he was at the hospital two
young men came in and asked him to prescribe for a sick friend. The
Fijian consented, but, unluckily for him, the men saw him take out his
crystal and look into it before prescribing the treatment. They told
this to the doctors and the man was locked up for two years, his
crystal being taken away from him. The mission teacher who related the
story
